McDaniels Law > Tyne & Wear, England > Firm Profile
McDaniels Law Offices
SUITE 2.07, NORTHERN DESIGN CENTRE
ABBOTTS HILL, BALTIC BUSINESS QUARTER
GATESHEAD, TYNE & WEAR
NE8 3DF
England
McDaniels Law > The Legal 500 Rankings
TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property Tier 1
Boutique intellectual property firm McDaniels Law regularly handles matters that span multiple jurisdictions and has significant sector strengths including fashion, furniture, and homewares. The firm takes legal action on behalf of clients, taking their claims before a range of courts, it is particularly active before the IPEC. It also secures patents, trade marks and registered designs, in addition to providing a significant portfolio service. In the Gateshead office, established intellectual property rights expert Niall Head-Rapson leads the practice together with up-and-comer Kelly Hudson. Director Adam Turley oversees the Carlisle office.Practice head(s):
Niall Head-Rapson; Kelly Hudson
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Damian Evans Design Limited
Equipment Supplies and Consultancy Services Limited
Hairjamm PTY
Fairfax & Favor Limited
Cormeton Fire Protection Limited
Teemo Designs Limited
Old English Company Limited
Transmit Start-Ups Limited
Photobooth Props Limited
Really Simple Ideas Limited
Work highlights
- Representing Damian Evans Design Limited in a High Court claim concerning the interpretation of a contract, letter of understanding, and deed of variation which govern the licensing arrangement. Multi- jurisdictional and has the potential value of multi-millions.
- Representing Cormeton Fire Protection Limited on a trade mark and copyright infringement and passing off and breach of contract claim issued in the IPEC. Client was successful in the liability trial, matter proceeds to quantum stage of proceedings.
- Representing Equipment Supplies Limited in its potential claim against its former solicitor, Irwin Mitchell. The claim concerns professional negligence in Irwin Mitchell’s conduct of an intellectual property infringement claim it conducted against our client’s former partner. The potential value of this claim is expected to be over £1.5m.
McDaniels Law > Firm Profile
McDaniels Law is a niche intellectual property practice with a head office at the Northern Design Centre in Gateshead and an office in Carlisle. Founded in 2005, the firm is led by Niall Head-Rapson. The firm assists organisations in the public and private sectors that have a significant interest in the identification, protection, exploitation and commercialisation of intellectual property. The entirety of the firm’s clients have either a significant interest in intellectual property or more pertinently intellectual property is a core asset and revenue generator of their business.
The firm is nationally renowned, having worked on a number of high profile reported cases, and acts for organisations worldwide, counting various household names as clients, particularly in the furniture and homewares sectors. Niall and fellow Director Kelly Hudson have had their contributions to the furniture industry recognised, having both been appointed Liverymen of the Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers, one of the historic London Guilds. The firm acts as a coordinator for raising the Furniture Makers’ profile in the North East of England. The firm is also a long-serving affiliate law firm of ACID (Anti Copying in Design). It advises ACID members nationwide on all aspects of intellectual property and attends ACID accredited trade fairs, giving relevant advice and conducting on the spot mediations where necessary.
Types of work undertaken: McDaniels Law offers an advisory, transactional, and contentious capability to organisations and individuals who have intellectual property as a key component of their business.
Disputes: Advising on all types of disputes in all major IP forums including the Business and Property Courts and the Court of Appeal, the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court, the UK Intellectual Property Office and the European Union Intellectual Property Office. The firm also assists with disputes in foreign jurisdictions through its network of agent firms.
Registrations: Advising and prosecuting all types of intellectual property filings including trade marks, designs and patents.
Portfolio management: Acting on a number of worldwide trade mark portfolios, coordinating brand strategy, filings, monitoring, oppositions, cancellation proceedings and enforcement.
Agreements: Drafting all types of commercial agreements, including; terms and conditions; distribution; supplier; heads of terms; confidentiality; assignments; licenses and manufacturer agreements.
Fund raising: Advising on all aspects of fundraising, acquisitions and disposals.
Employment: Specific expertise particularly in respect of employee ownership and misuse of confidential information and business secrets.
Main Contacts
| Department | Name | Telephone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Director | Niall Head-Rapson | ||
| Director | Kelly Hudson |
Lawyer Profiles
| Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Niall Head-Rapson | Niall is the principal at McDaniels Law advising on all aspects of… | View Profile |
 | Kelly Hudson | Kelly is a Director, Solicitor and Chartered Trade Mark Attorney at McDaniels… | View Profile |
Staff Figures
Number of UK partners : 3 Number of other UK fee-earners : 3Client Testimonials
CLIENT: Felix Favor Parker
COMPANY/FIRM: Fairfax & Favor Ltd
TESTIMONIAL: We have worked with McDaniels Law and Kelly Hudson for around 6 years. Throughout all our dealings with McDaniels Law we have been consistently well looked after by a team who are incredibly knowledgeable but also understand how to communicate with customers who are not totally au fait with all the legal jargon. We have had to successfully defend one of our designs in court and could not have asked for a better firm to represent us.
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property